March '99 Meeting
| Delivering Documentation via the Internet March '99 Meeting |
Meeting Leader: Joan Dorfmann Joan Dorfmann is Senior Director of Technical Communications for ADP Brokerage Information Services, Jersey City, New Jersey
Originally published in News & Views March 1999 issue. Copyright 1999 STC-Philadelphia Metro Chapter. For permission to reprint this article, contact the Managing Editor. |
Joan Dorfmann, Senior Director of Technical Communications for ADP Brokerage Information Services, of Jersey City, New Jersey, shared with STC's Philadelphia Metro Chapter some recommendations of tools and web site publishing resources for delivering documentation via the Internet. ADP is a developer of transaction processing software for mainframes, primarily enhancing and customizing programs and providing proxy services, including dissemination of information to shareholders. Their software is enhanced by daily changes with continual updating of manuals and documentation. Scope of ProjectADP started their project of converting existing (or legacy) documentation and posting it on the Internet for client and internal access with limited funds and resources. Most of the documents being converted were significantly out dated; some documents had not been updated since the 1980s. Other documentation was created directly from technical specifications and required enhancing. The scope of this project was for ADP to
Beginning with minimal staff, which included a technical writing department, one graphic designer, a supportive IT staff, and some programmers, ADP set up an intranet for those interested in creating online documentation. Getting StartedADP began to research the various capabilities and limitations offered by web site development and publishing tools and resources. They quickly determined the required skill sets necessary for the tremendous undertaking:
It took much more of a team effort to convert their documentation than ADP was accustomed to, as information sharing and comparing notes became a key element to the project's success. They quickly realized they would need to focus their learning on designing for a web environment vs. printed documentation. This meant learning the basics of HTML coding, even though packages like Microsoft's Front Page or Macromedia's Dreamweaver were used for document creation and conversion. They decided to learn scripting and dynamic HTML to enhance their document creation. ADP viewed themselves as the "Host" of their web site, and wanted the site to reflect that as an Internet service provider. Information Resources and TrainingThere are numerous tools available for use in web publishing. While you can search the web for various resources, there are also many books and periodicals available on the subject, such as Designing and Writing Online Documentation: Hypermedia for Self-Supporting Products, by William K. Horton. On the web, professional organizations were used, as well as software tutorials and training classes. Joan cited the Berkeley Learning Center (www.berkeleytraining.com) as an excellent resource for hands-on training in the Delaware Valley. She also mentioned a superior program for webmaster certification at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (www.njit.edu). Planning and ImplementationADP outlined a plan for implementation, which included web site design, taking navigation into consideration, and the allowance for future expansion. They researched various alternatives for online delivery of user manuals, including PDF (Portable Document Format) and HTML (HyperText Markup Language). Among the many site management alternatives was the consideration of how much technical support would be necessary. ADP then established procedures for standardization of the documentation conversion
Joan stressed that web site activity statistics and client feedback are extremely useful for planning and enhancing the ADP web site. PDF vs. HTML - Deciding FactorsGreg Drew, also from ADP, spoke to STC-PMC about the various deciding factors of choosing between PDF and HTML formats. Depending on the type of documentation, how it will be used, how fast the information changes, workflow and the audience being targeted, data can be represented online via PDF or HTML. While general news and information are well-suited to HTML, static information is better presented in PDF format. At the start of the project, ADP tried publishing user manuals in HTML format, but the printing was not satisfactory to clients. Although HTML provides better quality graphics and visual cues like popups for getting information, users cannot control how the pages break or which fonts are displayed when documents are printed. For these reasons, and due to the size of user manuals, ADP decided that any documents beyond ten to twenty pages would be published in the more-practical PDF format. Other advantages of PDF publishing are that it
The ADP web site now features a tree structure, a password-protected extranet, a per-product forum for feedback and focus groups, and a change-notification active-database process targeted to specific product client feedback areas. ADP chose to use Adobe Acrobat for delivery of their documentation, with a direct connect to download Acrobat Reader from the ADP home page. From the home page, clients can view tabs for each topic, including a map of the site and a large What's New tab, which is sequenced and dated for listing new developments and archival information. The Product Information page was designed as the main screen, and includes spots for customer support email, quick product reference, and links directly to product-specific Focus Group pages. Each page on the ADP site lists the last date of update. ADP personnel photographs were scanned and each photo is a link to contact the actual person. There is a Year 2K page explaining how ADP is preparing for the millenium and other non-product related news, including an alphabetized index to the site. Specific Tools UsedAll document processing for the ADP web site was completed using Microsoft Word. Dreamweaver was used as an HTML editor and an image mapping tool. FrameMaker was then used to tweak links and cross references. PDF authoring tools included: Adobe Acrobat Distiller, Adobe PageMaker, Acrobat Exchange, and PDFMaker for Word 97. Tools for HTML authoring, in addition to Dreamweaver, were Front Page, Netscape Composer, Front Page Express, and Allaire Homesite for optimization suggestions regarding HTML coding. Graphic design tools included Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator, Corel Draw, and Paint Shop Pro 5. Where ADP is TodayAt this point, seventy-five percent of all user manuals have been updated and converted for online use. All paper printing and mailing has been eliminated. The old mainframe information tools were removed. The ADP web site is now the primary communication vehicle for their active user community. Coming SoonAs web site development and new technologies evolve, ADP will expand their site's capabilities with the addition of site-wide searching and more information categories. In the future, they intend to implement Cascading Style Sheets, which are style templates for HTML. Finally, as an ongoing process, ADP will optimize their web, using newly-developed and enhanced resources and tools. Using the many resources available, ADP has developed a successful web site for delivery of online documentation. |
Return to . . .
[News & Views] [STC-PMC Home] [STC Home Page]
Last updated: March 28, 1999 (mvh)